A strong constant magnetic field affects muscle tension development in bullfrog neuromuscular preparations

Effects of moderate static magnetic fields on the voltage-gated sodium and calcium channel currents in trigeminal ganglion neurons

AIM

To study the effects of static magnetic fields (SMF) on the electrophysiological properties of voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels on trigeminal ganglion (TRG) neurons.

METHODS

Acutely dissociated TRG neurons of neonatal SD rats were exposed to 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF in exposure devices and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were carried out to observe the changes of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) and calcium channels (VGCC) currents, while laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to detect intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration in TRG neurons, respectively.

RESULTS

(1) No obvious change of current-voltage (I-V) relationship and the peak current densities of VGSC and VGCC currents were found when TRG neurons were exposed to 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF. However, the activation threshold, inactivation threshold and velocity of the channel currents above were significantly altered by 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF. (2) The fluctuation of intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration within TRG neurons were slowed by 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF. When SMF was removed, the Ca(2+) concentration level showed partial recovery in the TRG neurons previously exposed by 125-mT SMF, while there was a full recovery found in 12.5-mT-SMF-exposed neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate-intensity SMF could affect the electrophysiological characteristics of VGCS and VGCC by altering their activation and inactivation threshold and velocity. The fluctuations of intracellular free Ca(2+) caused by SMF exposure were not permanent in TRG neurons.

Whole body static magnetic field exposure increases thermal nociceptive threshold in the snail, Helix pomatia

We investigated the effect of homogeneous and inhomogeneous static magnetic field (SMF) exposure on the thermal nociceptive threshold of snail in the hot plate test (43 °C). Both homogeneous (hSMF) and inhomogeneous (iSMF) SMF increased the thermo-nociceptive threshold: 40.2%, 29.2%, or 41.7% after an exposure of 20, 30, or 40 min hSMF by p < 0.001, p < 0.0001, or p < 0.001, and 32.7% or 46.2% after an exposure of 20 or 40 min iSMF by p < 0.05 or p < 0.0001. These results suggest that SMF has an antinociceptive effect in snail. On the other hand, naloxone as an atypical opioid antagonist in an amount of 1 μg/g was found to significantly decrease the thermo-nociceptive threshold (41.9% by p < 0.002), which could be antagonized by hSMF exposure implying that hSMF exerts its antinociceptive effect partly via opioid receptors.

Effects of static magnetic fields on the voltage-gated potassium channel currents in trigeminal root ganglion neurons

To evaluated the effects of moderate-intensity static magnetic fields (SMF) on two types of voltage-gated potassium channel (VGPC) currents: I(K,A) and I(K,V), whole-cell patch-clamp experiments were conducted on acute dissociated rat trigeminal root ganglion (TRG) neurons. The results demonstrated that 125 mT SMF could influence the inactivation kinetics of these two VGPC currents by altering the inactivation rate and velocity. No significant change was observed in the activation properties. These findings supported the hypothesis that biological membrane would be deformed in moderate-intensity SMF and the physiological characteristics of ion channels on the membrane would be influenced. The mechanism underlying the different effects of SMF on the I(K,A) and I(K,V) inactivation was also discussed.

Static magnetic fields enhance skeletal muscle differentiation in vitro by improving myoblast alignment

Static magnetic field (SMF) interacts with mammal skeletal muscle; however, SMF effects on skeletal muscle cells are poorly investigated. The myogenic cell line L6, an in vitro model of muscle development, was used to investigate the effect of a 80 +/- mT SMF generated by a custom-made magnet. SMF promoted myogenic cell differentiation and hypertrophy, i.e., increased accumulation of actin and myosin and formation of large multinucleated myotubes. The elevated number of nuclei per myotube was derived from increased cell fusion efficiency, with no changes in cell proliferation upon SMF exposure. No alterations in myogenin expression, a modulator of myogenesis, occurred upon SMF exposure. SMF induced cells to align in parallel bundles, an orientation conserved throughout differentiation. SMF stimulated formation of actin stress-fiber like structures. SMF rescued muscle differentiation in the presence of TNF, a muscle differentiation inhibitor. We believe this is the first report showing that SMF promotes myogenic differentiation and cell alignment, in the absence of any invasive manipulation. SMF-enhanced parallel orientation of myotubes is relevant to tissue engineering of a highly organized tissue such as skeletal muscle. SMF rescue of muscle differentiation in the presence of TNF may have important therapeutic implications.

Effects of static magnetic fields on plasma levels of angiotensin II and aldosterone associated with arterial blood pressure in genetically hypertensive rats

Effects of static magnetic fields (SMFs) on development of hypertension were investigated using young male, stroke resistant, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) beginning at 7 weeks of age. SHRs were randomly assigned to two different exposure groups or an unexposed group. The SHRs in the exposure groups were constantly exposed to two different types of external SMFs of 3.0-10.0 mT or 8.0-25.0 mT for 12 weeks. The SMFs were generated from permanent magnetic plates attached to the rat cage. The blood pressure (BP) of each rat was determined at weekly intervals using indirect tail-cuff method. The SMFs suppressed and retarded the development of hypertension in both exposed groups to a statistically significant extent for several weeks, as compared with an unexposed group. The antipressor effects were related to the extent of reduction in plasma levels of angiotensin II and aldosterone in the SHRs. These results suggest that the SMFs of mT intensities with spatial gradients could be attributable to suppression of early BP elevation via hormonal regulatory system.

Phosphate metabolites in muscular contraction caused by magnetic stimulation

The metabolism of high energy phosphates during muscular contraction due to direct electrical stimulation, indirect stimulation via nerve excitation, and magnetic stimulation was studied in isolated muscles (frog sartorius muscles) by (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P-NMR). Twitch amplitudes elicited by each stimulus were measured alternatively at 3 mm displacement loading and 5 g weight. Both the creatine/inorganic phosphate (PCr/Pi) and pH changes were more marked in direct electrical stimulation than in magnetic stimulation. The muscular contraction caused by magnetic stimulation showed less fatigue than that caused by direct electrical muscular stimulation.

Interactions of zero-frequency and oscillating magnetic fields with biostructures and biosystems

This review points to the investigations concerning the effects of zero-frequency (DC) and oscillating (AC) magnetic fields (MFs) on living matter, and especially those exerted by weak DC and low-frequency/low-intensity AC MFs. Starting from the analysis of observations on the action of natural magnetic storms (MSs) or periodic geomagnetic field (GMF) variations on bacteria, plants and animals, which led to an increasing interest in MFs in general, this survey pays particular attention to the background knowledge regarding the action of artificial MFs not only at the ionic, molecular or macromolecular levels, but also at the levels of subcellular regions, in vitro cycling cells, in situ functioning tissues or organs and total bodies or entire populations. The significance of some crucial findings concerning, for instance, the MF-dependence of the nuclear or cellular volumes, rate of cell proliferation vs. that of cell death, extent of necrosis vs. that of apoptosis and cell membrane fluidity, is judged by comparing the results obtained in a solenoid (SLD), where an MF can be added to a GMF, with those obtained in a magnetically shielded room (MSR), where the MFs can be partially attenuated or null. This comparative criterion is required because the differences detected in the behaviour of the experimental samples against that of the controls are rather small per se and also because the evaluation of the data often depends upon the peculiarity of the methodologies used. Therefore, only very small differences are observed in estimating the MF-dependence of the expression of a single gene or of the rates of total DNA replication, RNA transcription and protein translation. The review considers the MF-dependence of the interactions between host eukaryotic cells and infecting bacteria, while documentation of the harmful effects of the MFs on specific life processes is reported; cases of favourable action of the MFs on a number of biological functions are also evidenced. In the framework of studies on the origin and adaptation of life on Earth or in the Universe, theoretical insights paving the way to elucidate the mechanisms of the MF interactions with biostructures and biosystems are considered.